Ghost heaved a relieved sigh as the towers of Cheydindal castle came into view and he slowed his horse down into a trot. He was tired, the faint smell of fish and sea still hanging around him and he was in desperate need of a bath and new clothes. And though he was near the city and weary the still kept a watchful eye to his surroundings. Tamriel had always been a wild and dangerous place for travellers. Not only because of wild animals roaming the country side. But the night brought forth other, more deadly creatures. Goblins and ogres for example. And ghosts. The young Dunmer took a cautious look around. Every now and then, one would encounter the animated skeleton of a fallen Legion soldier. Still patrolling the streets, like they had in life on their big undead steeds. The assassin shook himself. It was upon his arrival in Cyrodiil, when he ad encountered such a soldier, remembered the unyielding strength of that being and was happy his big stallion was faster than the undead horse.

Finally the city gates rose in front of him and a tired smile appeared on Ghost's face. At least his mission had been a full success and he was sure that he would get his bonus from Vicente.

He will be happy to hear, that his advise of hiding in a crate really came in handy.

The young Dunmer thought, his smile growing.

Next time though I will not hide in a fish crate...

He rode past the guard at the city gate, who gave him a pretty funny look. Maybe he was smelling more like fish than he thought. It was in the early morning hours as he finally reached the abandoned house. He jumped of his steed behind the house and let him graze and rest there. His stallion had quite the temper so he was sure, that no one would try to steal him. Not without suffering major injuries.

Chuckling he walked up to the barred front door and took a good look around. The gaze of his light coloured eyes fell upon a black and white paint horse opposite of the street. A frown appeared on his face. He hadn't seen that horse here before and this part of the town had no traders. Again he carefully looked around until he was sure that he was not watched and slipped into the dimly lit hallway. Quickly he stepped over to the basement door and reached for the knob, only to let his hand hover inches away from it. The hairs on the back of his neck raised as he felt the pair of eyes in him. Slowly he let his hand drop to his side and turned around, scanning the shadows.

"I know you are here. You can come out now."

There was a moment of silence until a dark mass moved in the shadows and finally stepped into the light. Ghost was faced by a slender man in a dark, tight fitting leather armour, with matching hood and mask. Non of his brothers he noted.

That would only leave...

A scowl appeared on Ghost's almost hidden face.

"You mangy thief! Tried to rob me? I should have your hands for that!"

Ghost hissed at the other man, but the thief only huffed.

"Come now. Don't be so arrogant, Filnar Za'uana. If I'm a mangy thief you're a stinking murderer... Quite literally!"

At the sound of his name, Filnar's eyes widened.

"How do you know my name?"

He asked, his voice a little too shaky for his own liking. The thief gave him a good laugh and slowly removed his face mask and hood to reveal ebony skin and short white and rather unruly hair. His purple eyes sparkled amused as he looked into Filnar's still wide eyes.

"I should know my brother's name, don't you think Filnar? Even though it's been a long time, since we last met each other."

"Izzdrin? How...Why..."

Ghost stammered before he finally caught himself. With an angry motion he jerked his hood back as well.

"What are you doing here?"

The older mer smiled.

"I was having dealings here. By chance I saw you leave a couple of days ago and thought I wait for your return."

The scowl on Ghosts face deepened.

"What do you want!"

He hissed. Izzdrin raised an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to say hello."

Izzdrin paused a moment and took a step closer to his brother and reached for his shoulders.

"You look good..."

With a growl, Filnar shrugged his brother's hand off.

"What do you really want?"

Izzdrin sighed his gaze dropping to the floor. He lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I already told you. I had business in town."

Ghost huffed.

"You mean you were robbing houses."

Izzdrin's head snapped up.

"At least I don't go sneaking around killing people at random! Why, Filnar? Of all the guilds in Cyrodiil. Why an assassin?"

Ghost turned away, looking toward the decrepit staircase leading to the upper level. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine, before he looked over his shoulder.

"You need to leave, Izzdrin. It's not save here. Not for you."

"Filnar..."

The mer whirled around.

"Filnar is dead! He died back in the Ashlands, when his brother decided to leave him behind!"

He stopped a moment, seeing the shocked look in his brother's purple eyes.

"It's Ghost now!"

Izzdrin shook his head slightly, sighing. He himself had given him another name when he joined the Thieves Guild. But to hear those words was like a slap to the face.

"Fine. Ghost. Look, I'm sorry I left home, but..."

"You left home! You left me! You promised to take care of me, you...you knew mother couldn't. You left me to her drunken stupor and those men..."

Ghost stopped as images flooded his mind. Images he longed to forget. About his mother, too drunk to walk straight and the men of their little clan taking turns on her. They were cruel and ruthless mistreating her and him. He shook his head in frustration.

"Ghost, I had to leave to support..."

"You are a filthy thief! How could you support any of us! You'd done better to take me with you!"

Izzdrin stared at his younger brother for a couple of heartbeats, not knowing what to say. He only had the best intentions when he left for Cyrodiils. He wanted to take young Filnar with him, but it would have been too dangerous for a child. Maybe he underestimated the dangers that lurked at home. Maybe he had lost his brother after all.

"Ghost..."

He whispered but his brother had already turned away.

"Leave, Izzdrin, there is nothing more to say."

He heard his brother shuffle behind him and seconds later he felt a hand on his shoulder. Anger suddenly rushed through him. The anger that had fed and infected his spirit ever since his brother fled in the middle of the night. With an angry growl he whirled around and gave his brother a good push to the chest. With a surprised gasp, Izzdrin stumbled backwards, but Ghost was over him in a mere second. His younger brother kicked his legs out from under him in a quick motion and he crashed to the floor, too surprised and shocked to react properly. And then Ghost sat on his chest, pressing a fine ebony blade to his throat. Fury made Ghost's eyes glow.

"LEAVE!"

The younger male shouted at the top of his lungs

"LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN!"

And then Izzdrin was free, as his brother jumped up and retreated to the door, the dagger still in his trembling hands.

"Leave."

He said for a third time, his voice trembling, yet low.

"You've given up on your family a long time ago. I have found a new one. There is no room for you."

Without a look back Ghost opened the basement door and left his brother behind.

It took Izzdrin a long moment to find the strength to get up. He had never meant for hurting his little brother so much. But he recognized now, that in leaving, he had pushed him so far from his family that he would not even wear his name. He left the house a broken man, with head hanging low. He missed the pair of eyes watching him.

Izzdrin still didn't pay any attention as he walked through the still dark and silent streets of Cheydinhal, his horse following him on a loose rein. His head was still swirling, the words of his brother on a constant loop in his mind. It felt like he was stabbed over and over again. He let go of Lex's reins to rub his hands over his face. Only then he realized that he hadn't bothered to pull his hood up again. But as for now he couldn't care less.

What have I done?

He asked himself over and over again. But as hard as he wrecked his brain, he could not find an answer to that. He left, because he wanted to make things better, not making it any worse.

Again he heaved a sigh, as he felt tears sting behind his eyes. He blinked, trying hard not to cry openly even if he felt like it. With his gaze still fixed to the ground he walked by a dark alleyway between two huge buildings as he was suddenly pulled into the dark and pushed up against the stonewall. A gloved hand tightly clasped over his mouth, smelling of leather and iron and stifling his surprised little yelp. His eyes widened in shock as he was met with cold dark eyes.

"If you scream, you die. You understand?"

The man asked with a dark menacing voice. Izzdrin nodded and the hooded man slowly took his hand away from his mouth. Cruel eyes roamed the Dunmer's face. Izzdrin swallowed hard. This was no bandit, no common criminal. No that Imperial gave Izzdrin the creeps and the sudden chill that filled the alleyway didn't help. A cruel smirk appeared on the Imperial's face, a smirk that promised pain.

"Who are you?"

Lucien finally asked with a coolness in his voice that let the mer's hair stand on end. The Dunmer took a deep breath. He just found and lost his brother, he hit rock bottom of his emotional life, he would not let his dignity be taken away by a random cutthroat as well. Creepy as he might be. In a defiant move he put his chin out and said:

"Depends on who wants to know."

The smirk on the Imperial's face widened to a smile, which never reached his eyes. He changed his weight a bit, pressing the slender Dunmer against the cold wall harder, while one of his hands closed around the mer's chin. A glowing, obviously enchanted dagger appeared in Izzdrin's line of sight, making the elf swallow nervously. The touch of the cold blade's tip on his cheek caused a chill to run down his spine.

"It's not nice to answer a question with a question."

Lucien said in the coldest voice Izzdrin had ever heard. His gaze was fixed by the dark eyes of the Imperial's and suddenly the elf was deeply afraid. There was a gleam in the man's eyes, an excited dangerous look that spoke of bloodlust and murder. The Imperial cocked his head to the side.

"Now you can answer my question, little man. Or you can suffer."

Again the hooded man made a pause.

"So let's try again. Who are you?"

Still in his tight grab, Izzdrin rolled his eyes.

"Gee. What is it with you assassi..."

Izzdrin was cut off mid-sentence as the blade was dragged over his cheek down to his jawbone, leaving behind a burning cut. He could feel his warm blood running down his jaw and neck.

"Ah ah ah. Was that a question again? I think it was. You are a naughty little elf aren't you?"

The assassin wiped his blade clean on Izzdrin's dark armour.

"Who are you?"

He asked again, his voice chilling cold.

"Look... I wont tell anybody about your little...ah"

Izzdrin cried out in pain as the blade was again dragged over his face, elongating the cut over his eye, forehead to his hairline. Blood was now flowing into his eye, blinding him for a moment as he tried to blink it away. Lucien's smiled widened, as he leaned forwards, crushing the elf's body further and whispered into his ear.

"Don't worry. You wont be able to tell anybody."

Izzdrin's eyes widened in horror as he finally grasped the meaning of the Imperial's words. Lucien chuckled, turning the mer's head to the side with a tight grip that was sure to leave marks, while he licked the blood from the tip of his blade.

"Who are you."

No question this time. The Dunmer licked his suddenly dry lips.

"Sh-Shadow!"

He stammered only to cry out in pain again, as the blade was dragged over his cheek again, this time from the inner corner of his eye to the edge of his jaw bone, crossing the previous cut.

"The next cut will take your eye."

Lucien coolly said, staring the elf down with unsympathetic eyes.

"Who are you."

He asked again, his voice almost a low growl. The elf pressed his eyes shut.

"Izzdrin. My name is Izzdrin!"

He blurted out, almost awaiting the pain of another cut. Pain that never came. Careful he opened his eyes to look into the dark cold orbs of the assassin.

"I see we made progress."

Lucien drily commented.

"Now Izzdrin tell me, why were you in that house. Surely not to look for valuables."

He said it jokingly, tapping the blade against Izzdrin's chest.

"I … I didn't know it belonged to..."

He stopped as he saw a glint in Lucien's eyes.

"And there I thought you learned your lesson."

The man said matter of factly while he stabbed the blade into Izzdrin's upper arm. Slowly. Careful not to damage major vessels or nerves but making sure it was painful. As much as he loved hearing his victims cry, he did not want the attentions of the guards, so again he pressed his hand firmly over the elf's mouth. Tears were streaming down Izzdrin's face as he struggled through the pain. Lucien twisted the blade slightly, feeling the elf struggle to break free from him. But Lucien used his whole weight and body to wedge the mer against himself and the wall.

"I like you, little Izzdrin."

He whispered, his voice smooth and velvety, getting excited by the smell of fear and blood coming from the slender Dunmer, who had ceased his struggle and started to tremble.

"So I help you a little. I know you lingered around the house for a couple of days. Tell me. What business do you have with Ghost."

Slowly he loosened his grip over the young elf's mouth. Izzdrin took a shaky breath in, turning his head to the side.

"Don't you know that already?"

He whispered and instantly biting his lower lips. Slowly he raised his gaze to meet the assassin's dark eyes.

"What shall I do with you?"

The Imperial almost sighed in resignation as he covered the elf's mouth again and twisted the knife around in the arm. Izzdrin's whole body shook as wave after wave of pain exploded through his upper arm and down his spine. The enchantment of the dagger made the wounds burn like he was set on fire. He had been reduced to a sobbing mess in a matter of minutes.

"A shame really. You know, I take no joy in torturing you. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Lucien brushed a strand of bloody, sweaty hair out of the elf's face, almost like a father would.

"What did you want from Ghost."

Again Izzdrin took a deep shaking breath in.

"He... he's my brother. I just wanted to see him. Please... "

Izzdrin's voice broke and his head sagged forwards in pain and exhaustion. Lucien's grip on him loosened ever so slightly, permitting the Dunmer a little more space to breath.

"And yet he is not fond of seeing you."

Lucien said, his voice low. The elf nodded, casting his gaze down.

"That's a nice way of putting it."

"Why?"

Izzdrin looked up in confusion, but then shook his head with a deep frown.

"I left him behind with our clan. Our father died, my mother is a...an addict. She was not able to care for us properly."

"Yet you left him behind."

"He was too small. And I was young. I could not fend for myself and take care of a child. I wanted to get him though."

Lucien pulled his dagger out of the Dunmer's arm in a swift motion, making him groan in pain.

"You failed. But he has a better family now. One that cares for him."

Finally Lucien pulled away from the elf's body, only holding him against the wall with one outstretched arm. Izzdrin slumped forwards a bit, clamping his hand over the bleeding wound on his arm.

"Are you going to kill me now?"

He asked the assassin in a flat tone of voice. Lucien lifted an eyebrow.

"I haven't made up my mind yet. Maybe. But maybe you could be useful for me."

Confused Izzdrin looked up.

"But I'm a thief, not a murder..."

In a blink of an eye, he found himself pressed against the wall again, the tip of the dagger biting his skin right over his jugular.

"What have I told you about talking back to me!"

Lucien hissed, staring into the set of terrified purple eyes.

"You are not cut out to be one of us anyway."

The pressure on the blade increased slightly, drawing blood.

"You're guild has eyes and ears in every town. If I want informations, you will get me informations. Fail me and they will find your body in pieces. You understand?"

Swallowing hard, Izzdrin nodded. The blade disappeared from his throat and the Imperial gave him a satisfied smile.

"Good. I knew we could come to terms."

Lucien cleaned his dagger on the elf's clothes.

"I hope you understand that you mustn't talk about our...meeting."

Again the Dunmer nodded.

"Betray me, be sure your death will be slow. And very very painful. And I will know if you talk about the Dark Brotherhood. "

The Imperial finally let go of the terrified young mer and sheathed his dagger. He regarded the elf with a long cold look before he turned away and left into the breaking dawn without making a sound, taking the chill air with him.

Izzdrin let out a long breath and slowly slipped down the wall, his legs suddenly not able to support his body any longer. He was still shaking and his heart was racing in his chest, so fast it was almost painful. He raised a hand to his face and carefully felt for his cuts. He had the feeling that he was marked permanently by that bastard. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, relieved to be alive. It was then he got aware of the wet spot between his legs, but he was too far gone to feel embarrassment.

"By the nine..."

He whispered. He just wanted to curl up into a tight ball and cry. Never before had any one been able to terrify him so much. Yet, he pulled himself up on still unsteady legs and stumbled out towards his horse. He struggled to get into the saddle but Lex had always been a patient horse. Maybe by the end of the day, he would be back at the Waterfront District, being able to rest and heal. And clean up. And far far ways from this assassin.